


Discussions of Future Impact

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Midnight Verse [23]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-30
Updated: 2013-03-30
Packaged: 2017-12-06 22:44:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/741020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soundwave and Starscream finally get to talk... as do a pair of Seekers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Discussions of Future Impact

Soundwave took note that Starscream had agreed to meet him in his own quarters, privately. The arrogance of that was... a warning, to say the least. Soundwave understood that the Seeker Commander was very much in control of himself again, and that meant the footing within their ranks had shifted in favor of the Air Commander once more.

He did not wish to find himself at the wrong side of the eventual contest for supremacy, and would work to temper Starscream's ambitions as much as he could. 

"So have you figured out the puzzle of who did this to us?" Starscream asked as he took one of the backless seats, stretching his legs out lazily.

"Data acquired, more necessary."

Starscream made a disagreeable noise at that. "Considering you were my first suspect, it has to be someone of considerable intelligence," he crooned, flattering Soundwave with the glyphs he chose.

Soundwave considered, then inclined his head. "Logical."

"We believe the infection came as we were leaving Cybertron. Nothing here could have done it," Starscream continued.

"Assumption valid to known data."

Starscream leaned forward, elbows resting on thighs as he placed his chin in his palms. "There aren't that many with knowledge of nanotech physics at that level with any degree of motive and access to our ship, Soundwave."

"Probable culprit indicated has much to lose in event of failure," Soundwave pointed out.

"Oh certainly, but he's been so careful to be _so loyal_ since contact was reestablished," Starscream retorted. "I believe a second phase is in process already."

Soundwave ran that through his database, considered the mech in question, then nodded curtly. "Solution: eliminate after interrogation."

"I thought you'd see it my way," Starscream purred. His optics were lit with a fierce need to destroy the one who had done this to them, to him personally.

"Query: Megatron? Insulated against my effects."

Starscream smiled. "Already taken care of."

`~`~`~`~`

Thundercracker knew change of drastic nature was on its way. Starscream was content, Soundwave was being secretive, and Megatron had yet to return.

He did not want to go into what was coming with secrets barring him from his mate. Starscream was nibbling at the edges of it with private teasing, but had not chosen to press. Then again, Starscream had his own Autobot.

::Skywarp, join me for a patrol flight?:: he invited his wingmate, very casual and calm.

::Sounds good... do we hafta patrol the whole time?:: The insinuations were bold and teasing and made Thundercracker's core heat in desire.

::We'll see.:: Thundercracker had no intention of patrolling much past taking Skywarp to... rust but if he took him to the spot that had flashed to mind, there was a chance _her_ energies would be noticeable by his bonded's sensors.

::Good.::

`~`~`~`~`

Skywarp, for all that some thought it, was no idiot. He had his head full of more spatial, chronal, and velocity-related data than any other mech in the entire army, including Shockwave! If that made it harder to focus on things unrelated to his primary goals, so be it.

Only, Thundercracker (and now Starscream, finally/once again) _was_ a part of his primary goal setting. 

That meant he had, actually, noticed the very discreet barrier guarding a secret within his bondmate. It was buried deeper than Starscream's gloating little treasure cache of memories he never shared, but it was there. As Thundercracker had been so much closer in recent cycles, it really hadn't mattered that much.

Now, though, flying almost tip to tip with his wingmate, Skywarp knew that secret was weighing on Thundercracker. Today, Skywarp's curiosity would be fulfilled, and then there would be no more secrets again.

Well, except for Starscream's. But his didn't count, given that they all centered on Megatron, Skyfire, and ambition. Nothing worth paying attention to except to avoid the fallout when it came. 

`~`~`~`~`

Skywarp hung back just enough to let his bondmate lead, and wasn't all that surprised when TC's path took them away from the Autobots, west from their continent towards the one with the more-congested cities and mountains almost high enough to remind him -- just a little -- of Cybertron. They were high, higher than any organic aircraft could reach to challenge them. Once they were out of range of the _Nemesis_ ' sensors, Skywarp started darting in and out of TC's slipstream, just barely keeping enough separation to keep them both in the air. 

::You're enjoying the relaxed protocols,:: Thundercracker teased him, but he played back, matching his mate with a few aerial tricks of his own. It helped settle him; he could make this work if he just appealed to Skywarp's love of pranks.

::You say that like you're not,:: Skywarp replied, rolling in midair over Thundercracker's broad deck, ::and I _know_ that's not true.::

::I'm totally enjoying it,:: Thundercracker admitted, sending a purr of love for Skywarp's aerial command. ::Lets me have more time to be with you and away from others.:: He let Skywarp steady... and flipped himself into a roll over the other jet.

Skywarp purred back, low thrum along the comm link at the way Thundercracker made that look so easy. Gorgeous, supple ::Sure won't hear me complain about _that_... but I'm not where you've been spending all your time, TC, and neither is 'Screamer.:: 

::We should land if you want to talk about that,:: Thundercracker told him with a very easy, light tone, as if that wasn't his very reason for this flight. ::Because I want to share that with you.::

::Pick somewhere, then,:: Skywarp answered, long-range sensors idly scanning the ground below. 

Thundercracker did his own scan, spotting a plateau that could support them both. He headed for it, giving the coordinates in case Skywarp wanted to bounce down. ::It's a good cycle, yeah?::

::You're stalling. Stop it,:: Skywarp pointed out, TC making idle chit-chat sending warnings through his processor. 

Thundercracker made his landing... and went to mech form to do it so he could sprawl and not be confined by his terran alt mode. "Not stalling... just want to know if you think things are good. Like, really good."

Skywarp flipped into mech form, then dropped down across his bondmate's legs, turned sideways to look at his faceplates. "Could definitely be worse... better than it has been in a while. So, yeah. I'd say it's good."

"Good." Thundercracker ran his digits over his mate's faceplates. "You're mine, and I'm yours. Saying that here and now. Never wanted more... you know why we accepted Starscream." He half-smiled; they could not have accepted being underlings to a lesser trine, and 'Scream was... good, when he wanted to be.

Skywarp pushed into the touch -- but then what Thundercracker was saying sank in and he wrapped one hand hard around his mate's wristplates, growling low in his vocalizer. "Why, exactly, do you think you have to say that? What in the _Pits_ has been going on?!" 

"Come on, Skywarp, don't go off like that already!" Thundercracker snapped back, not wanting to argue so much as explain. "I want you to know it, deep down in your very core that I am yours and you are mine, and nothing gets in the way of that!"

Skywarp's optics glittered crimson, but he settled a little for Thundercracker's words. He could feel the intensity of his mate's emotions in his fields, and that... that was at least a little soothing. "...all right. I'm listening." 

Thundercracker didn't really know how to start. He just knew he needed and wanted to get this into the open. "I did meet someone who really, really gets to me. And... I want to share that with you, want you to know this part, be part of it...."

//"Met someone"? Since when do -- // 

Skywarp cut off that thought, the disdainful, dismissive sneer, near-full fuel tanks and clearer processor reminding him that there was more to existence than the brute-force displays that had become so common among their faction, among even their class... He was old enough to remember courtships on Cybertron, long and intricate displays, but -- 

"If one of that flight that makes Superion has caught your attention, I'm going to 'warp pieces of them halfway across the planet," he muttered. 

"Oh, no, none of the sparklets," Thundercracker said in disdain. "Well... none of those, anyway." He let a smile play out over his face, remembering just how fierce and strong his femme was. "I think you can appreciate the depth of how much certain Autobots will not like knowing who caught my optics."

That... looked interesting, and sounded more interesting, and he flicked curiosity against his mate's fields and processor. Not one of Superion's gestalt, 'none of the sparklets' followed by 'well, none of those'. What sparklet --

The answer clicked into his processor in nanoseconds, and he stared at Thundercracker. "You didn't." 

Thundercracker could not help the laugh that escaped him. "I did. Well, she sort of did. By targeting me. But then... it kind of just happened, Skywarp, before Starscream got us fixed and we could think again. You... well, we got screwed up by that virus, and I didn't know that's what it was, and she was there, talking to me about real things and..." He looked at his mate. "I want her. As part of us."

Skywarp growled, his optics narrowed -- but the thought of those damned twins' reactions if _they_ had their precious sparkling as a mate... That was almost worth it. Only almost, though. 

"She's groundbound," he protested, but... given how rarely TC would actually say what he wanted and take a stand for it, he wasn't going to say 'no' immediately. Not with how much this was going to blister Sunstreaker's paint and set Sideswipe seething.

"I know!" Thundercracker let a burst of confused static accompany that explosive phrase. "And yet, she has our passion. She's strong and full of energy and she just fits perfect with me... I think you will like her, if you just give her a chance." Thundercracker shifted to lean closer to his mate. "I want this. I want to have her fully, before we go after whoever did this to us, Skywarp. But if you and her can't find a level place... I'll fly away from this, I promise."

Skywarp moved slightly, pushing up to get closer to Thundercracker as he thought about that -- TC was right, they'd needed to land for this, he couldn't concentrate this hard when he was in the air -- for most of a breem, looking at various angles and alternatives. He didn't want this. He didn't want to share his mate outside of the trine they had needed to form. He definitely didn't want to share his mate with a sparklet of an Autobot, even if it would entertain him to watch the twins' reactions. But Thundercracker was asking. He knew he wouldn't have been _able_ to say yes, even to his mate's plea, before Starscream fixed them, and he flexed one fist. Starscream, too, had an Autobot, though his was one of their oldest mechs (oldest and youngest, in stasis for so long). 

"Are we collecting Autobots this vorn?" he asked before he heard himself, then shook his helm. "Never mind. I'll meet her. Then we'll see." 

Thundercracker wrapped himself around Skywarp, fields and digits touching everywhere in gratitude for that concession. It wasn't done... but they were moving on. And now, Thundercracker could hope for a brighter future than ever. Skywarp's fields met his, hot and intent, the two of them ignoring everything but each other.


End file.
